


Got your back, Partner

by Ukhae (Drowninginworkbutstill)



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: First Meeting, M/M, Puns about Rude’s name, Reno is such a chatterbox, Strangers to Partners, THE START OF A BEAUTIFUL PARTNERSHIP, first mission gone wrong, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-02
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23965522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drowninginworkbutstill/pseuds/Ukhae
Summary: "Rude," Rude introduced himself curtly."Eh? Well, sorry for being rude," Reno sulked, pushing his hands into his pockets.Reno and Rude meet for the first time, and go on their first mission together. Things don’t go too well.
Relationships: Reno & Rude (Compilation of FFVII), Reno/Rude (Compilation of FFVII)
Kudos: 56





	Got your back, Partner

Reno opened the door and promptly walked into a tall black wall. "Ow! Huh? What's this? I swore I opened the door."

Then Reno looked up to see a bald man presumably stare at him through thick sunglasses.

"Woah! This is one tall dude!" Reno backtracked quickly.

"Reno, this is the Turk you'll be working with," Tseng introduced.

"But I wanna work with you, bossman!" Reno whined.

It's not like Rude wanted to babysit either. But orders from Tseng were absolute. Tseng had given Rude a brief outline of Reno's history. He had to admit Reno was skilled, albeit in a kind of unorthodox way, but good in what he does nonetheless. Seeing Tseng's good humour and even a tinge of pride when talking of the troubles Reno caused Turks as a street rat convinced Rude that Reno was a trustworthy individual. His boss had good judgment. Even if he was cursing the man internally for giving him a troublemaker as a partner.

"Rude," Rude introduced himself curtly.

"Eh? Well, sorry for being rude," Reno sulked, pushing his hands into his pockets.

"No, his name is Rude," Tseng clarified.

"Seriously?" Reno gasped, staring at the man in front of him with renewed wonder. "What kind of parents would name their kid that?"

Reno shut up once he felt the dark and murderous aura from Rude. But he never was one to stay afraid for long, and he reached up to rub Rude's head. "Woah, it's really smooth!" And Reno started to attempt climbing up onto Rude, who gawked at the scrawny man, before swinging his arm about to try to dislodge the little nuisance. Reno actually managed to sit on Rude's broad shoulders before Rude grabbed him with two large hands, pulling him off forcibly.

Face to face with his would-be partner, Reno grinned cheekily and stuck a hand out for a handshake. Rude just dropped him hard on the ground. Reno fell onto his ass, groaning and cussing like a sailor. Rude gave Tseng a hopeless look.

"Sorry, Rude. You're the best candidate for being Reno's partner. Please guide him through his first mission," Tseng held out the file, and Rude accepted it with a sigh. Tseng had told him the reasoning behind the partnership. While partly, Rude was probably the only one who could stand not shooting Reno on a mission, there was another reason behind it. Rude was used to intimidating with his build and muscles. He was strong, calm, and followed orders to a T. Reno, however, agitated people, sourced out dark and dirty information and was perfect for undercover missions. He could stay undetected and made up for his lack of strength with techniques and agility. He was reckless and adaptable to the situation. They were complete opposites in styles, and that was why they were grouped.

The mission seemed simple enough at a first glance- perfect for a Turk's initiation. All they had to do was to infiltrate a drug gang's hideout, find the information on all the dealings and locations, and kill the head. Using any means possible. Reno peered at the information over his shoulder, an excited gleam in his slightly mako tinged eyes. "We're going to rock this mission, partner!" Reno slapped Rude on the back so hard Rude dropped the file. Rude glared at Reno, who laughed sheepishly and picked the file up.

They were off to a great start.   
  


* * *

**_-On the road-_ **

"Woah! You have mad driving skills, man! I can't wait until Tseng lets me drive as well, yo. He doesn't trust me just coz I crashed his car that one time. Do you know I got a high score on the choppers? Best they've ever seen so far!" Reno said chattily, unfazed by the high speed of the car. Rude just wished Reno would shut up already, driving faster and faster to end the mission earlier. The boy was a chatterbox that just wouldn't shut up, and honestly Rude was tired of his solitude being taken away. He wanted to be left alone with his thoughts, but Reno was just too loud for him to think, dammit.

"Hey, which sector are you from? Probably one of the cleaner ones, I'd bet. I heard from Tseng you were originally from SOLDIER, no wonder you're so muscular, huh? You probably have more brains than them, that's why you came over to join Turks!" Reno beamed. "They're just a bunch of muscleheads, yo. Except maybe for the first classes. The third class ones can't even keep up with my conversation."

_ I'll bet. _

"What I mean is, they can't even understand what I'm saying," Reno looked over at Rude with a little smile. "Unlike you. I can tell you're intelligent. Wait- Do you hear that beeping noise?"

"What?" Rude said dumbly, not hearing anything.

"Wait wait wait. Stop the car, get out!" Reno said hurriedly, reaching over for the brakes. The car spun a few rounds sharply at the sudden stop from its prior high speed, and Reno opened the door on Rude's side, seeing how disoriented the man was, and pushed him forward, clambering over to exit on the same side. Reno only managed to push Rude forward for a few steps before the car exploded, the powerful blast knocking both of them over as the shrapnel flew to hit them. Reno seemed to get the brunt of the damage as he was closer to the car.

Even so, Reno recovered first and was pushing the confused Rude onto his feet again, blabbering despite the various painful cuts on his back. "Hurry, partner! The car was rigged, that means they're expecting us. They'll be coming over to collect our bodies, and it won't be pretty when they discover we aren't there. Are we still pushing through on the mission?"

"Let... let me call Tseng," Rude managed, as Reno pushed him into an alley. Reno fidgeted, antsy as Rude started to call the boss. Rude nodded to Reno as a 'yes', and Reno bit his lip in contemplation. His sharp ears seemed to pick up something again, and he started pushing Rude ahead deeper into the myriad of alleys.

"Reno is this the way to-"

"Yes, shh," Reno shushed, quickening his pace.

He was supposed to guide Reno through his first mission, but it seemed that he was being guided instead. Rude supposed it was because he was never that good at stealth missions, while Reno had been doing it for a living. They quickly reached the hideout, and Reno motioned for Rude to stay behind him.

"Listen. You stay here. I'm going to climb the pipes up to the highest floor, where their important documents are. We're connected on the communication device, right? I'll scream for help if I need any," Reno instructed in a whisper, analytic eyes looking at the security at the front of the hideout. Rude nodded. There was no way two of them could go through the tight security alone, and those pipes could never hold Rude's weight. He had no choice but to trust Reno. Reno smiled reassuringly and slid away into the night. Even Rude's trained eyes had difficulty finding Reno's figure until he saw something moving up the pipes at the side of the warehouse. Rude almost ran over in worry when Reno slipped a few inches on the slippery surface, but reminded himself it was the only shot they'd get.

" _ Phew, this shit is slippery as heck, yo, _ " Reno's hushed voice crackled over the earpiece, and Rude couldn't help but smile in amusement. Reno had no fear at all. " _ And do you know how warm it is over here? Damn, I swear it's like a sauna. Why do we have to wear these black long suits again? Come on Rude, you gotta reply to me, how else would I know you're alive?" _

"I'm here."

_ "That's all? Man, talk about talkative. Okay, seems like no one is in the room. I'm going in, _ " Reno relayed, and a soft creak indicated the opening of the window. Soft rustling was heard, as Reno gathered papers and searched for documents.

**"Hello, Reno."**

Both Rude and Reno startled. That was the voice of their target, Vincenzio Kingsley. "Hello, Mr Kingsley. Nice seeing you tonight," Reno said nervously.

"I see you're with the Turks now, huh? Such a shame, you were such a good rat..." Kingsley drawled in return. "You better return what you have on your hands. I'll promise you a quick death."

The tension was palpable even on Rude's end. Rude decided to take action, shooting at all the lackeys guarding the front with a silencer, rushing forward to go in the hard way. There was no time to think, or it might signal Reno's end.

"Eh, don't you have any interest in anything other than my death? I'm a good rat, remember?" Reno delayed since he heard the activity on Rude's end. He had to play a time game now.

"A rat that got addicted to double-crossing and got burned," Vincenzio reminded, removing the safety on his gun.

Reno heard a low grunt on Rude's end, as if he got shot. Alarmed, Reno's eyes must have gained a hysteric edge, because Vincenzio lapped it up, a cruel smirk curling his lips. "Tonight will be your end, Reno."

"Come on, let me put down the things first, will you? I doubt you want your papers stained in blood," Reno said in a strained voice, knowing this was a situation where he would potentially die. Vincenzio watched as Reno strode over to the table, placing the documents down with trembling hands.   
  
Rude triggered a blaring alarm right at that moment, distracting Vincenzio. The next thing Vincenzio knew, the room was covered in thick noxious smoke.

Reno had taken a smoke bomb from his pocket from Vincenzio's blind spot, one that was a trial experiment from the materials he stole from the lab. It was a slow-acting poisonous smoke that Reno wasn't sure there was an antidote for, but he was sure Vincenzio breathed in a lethal amount. Grabbing the documents, Reno leapt out of the window, landing painfully on the grass beneath. "Rude, get out now! I'm outside!"

_ "Coming." _

Reno waited anxiously until a tall black figure ran out from the entrance. "Hurry, this way!" Reno led him back out, suddenly recalling that their means of transportation was blown up. Reno ran through the maze of alleys with Rude close behind him, debating which route was the best. They soon ended up on a street, and Reno flew to a nearby car, hotwiring it speedily.

"What are you doing?" Rude said disapprovingly.

"We ain't got a choice if you wanna live, partner," Reno said tensely as sweat beaded on his forehead with his utter concentration. "They're close."

Rude heard the footsteps and turned to shoot at the men coming their way. His spare ammo was all left on the car, and he soon ran out. Cursing at his gun, Rude failed to see the last man shoot at him from his hiding spot.

"I'm done... Shit, Rude!" Quick to react, Reno instinctively flung himself at Rude, simultaneously shooting at the spot where the bullet came from. The dual gunshots rang in the air, leaving a deathly silence as Reno collapsed in Rude's arms.

"Reno. Reno!"

A darkening patch appeared on Reno's back, startlingly close to his heart.

"Shit!" Rude cursed in frustration and guilt, disgusted at his own carelessness. Settling Reno on the passenger seat, he drove at a mad speed back to Shinra. It was so silent that it bit at Rude's mind, ears ringing hollowly. He glanced over to his deathly pale partner whose lips were closed. The sudden lack of noise unsettled Rude, and he continued cursing and berating himself for his carelessness.

Tseng was ready with the medical team, and they force-fed Reno elixirs and potions, loading him onto a stretcher to bring him to the labs. Reno coughed up blood, and it plagued Rude with guilt as he watched Reno's body convulse from the sudden entry of the liquids. It was a telltale sign of a punctured lung. Tseng laid a comforting hand on his shoulder when Rude handed him the documents with trembling hands.

"I'm sorry about the inadequate information," Tseng apologised. "They shouldn't have known about our mission. There are rumours of spies in Shinra, and this mission proved it."

"No, Tseng. I must apologise for my carelessness that resulted in Reno getting hurt. He's the one taking care of me this entire mission," Rude said somberly. "He's indeed a rare talent. If he... I..."

"Reno will be fine," Tseng assured. "He's like a cockroach that never dies."

But the slender hand on his shoulder was shaking just like he was.  
  


* * *

**-Turk’s Office-**

In the next three days, the Turk office was suffocatingly quiet and depressing. Rude was still berating himself. He should have been the one shot. It was his fault. Plus, his muscular body build would be stronger against bullets, unlike the scrawny man lying in the labs. He held his head in his hands, mulling over his mistakes over and over again. If Reno hadn't heard the bomb? If Reno hadn't gotten them the car? They would both have been dead.

Rude buried his face in his hands, groaning over his desk.

"What're ye thinking bout so deeply?"

Rude looked up upon hearing the familiar slum accent to see a winning smile with mako bright blue eyes.

"R-Reno...?"

"They said my heart stopped, but they kickstarted it again with mako and electricity, yo. I look like a monster now, don't I?" The mako had regrown not only Reno's damaged tissues, but even his hair and nails were much longer. Reno grinned and stole the energy bar on Rude's table, digging in. "Man, am I starving. Figures though, no food for three days." He sat on top of Rude's desk, and the height difference made Rude look up at him. At the angle, Reno could clearly see the guilt-ridden brown eyes behind the shades.

"I'll treat," Rude offered, his brain still in shock at Reno's sudden appearance.

"Really? Awesome! Well, sucks that our mission turned out that way, huh? At least we got the information and killed the mother fucker," Reno was cutting his hair on Rude's desk, and the fiery red strands fluttered down everywhere, making a mess. Rude wasn't even scolding him, and Reno assessed his partner from head to toe. Rude's gunshot wound seemed to have healed, and the man only looked weary from lack of sleep.

"I'm so sorry, Reno. I should have been more reliable as your senior. I'm a failure as a Turk," Rude muttered, staring at the pooling strands of red on his lap and the ground.

"That's the longest I've ever heard you speak yo," Reno grinned, before dimming it into an understanding smile. "Rude, it wasn't your fault. Nobody knew. And you came back for me, rushing into the headquarters alone. No one else would've ever done that for me, partner." Reno patted Rude's shoulder. "So don't apologize, partner. We've got each other's back, right? You can thank me if ya want to, though. You better bring a fat wallet!"

Rude smiled, seeing that Reno sincerely held no grudge.

"Your hair is sticking onto my suit. Now I look like some cat guy with a large monster cat," Rude complained as he stood up, brushing his suit down. Reno laughed hysterically, not expecting those words from his stoic partner. He slung an arm around Rude- which was an effort because Rude was so much taller than him- and whistled a merry tune. The constant stream of noise now comforted Rude, and he decided to himself that he would work hard to be a much better partner to Reno.

Even after the little annoyance ate out his wallet.

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this in 2014, decided to upload it here. Hope you enjoyed <3 I love Rude and Reno, they get into so many messes together and they're hilarious!


End file.
